The present invention relates to devices for accomplishing the cleaning of nozzle openings and, more particularly, to devices for use in cleaning the nozzle openings of floater ovens.
In the production of sheet materials floater ovens are often used to dry and cure various coatings. Floater ovens use high velocity streams of hot air to suspend a web of the material to be treated in the oven and to provide the necessary heat for curing and drying. These high velocity air streams are produced by passing air through a series of dryer nozzles manufactured with small nozzle openings along their length. Ordinarily the nozzles are disposed transverse to the flow of the web of material through the oven and are placed both above and below the passageway in the oven through which the material flows. The nozzle openings are positioned in rows along the length of the bottom of the top nozzles and the top of the bottom nozzles. During the curing and drying process, solvents from the sheet materials are oxidized, become charred, and collect as air is recycled through the system. These products of combustion can build up and clog the nozzle openings, reducing or stopping air flow, and necessitating shutting down and cleaning of the nozzles. In the past, this cleaning process has been accomplished through time consuming and expensive hand operations in the course of which the nozzles were completely removed from the oven.
Accordingly, it is a principle object of the present invention to provide a nozzle cleaning device for floater ovens which will automatically accomplish its cleaning function with a minimum of manual assistance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a nozzle cleaning device for floater ovens which can operate to clean the nozzles in place within the oven.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a nozzle cleaning device which will thoroughly, accurately, and speedily clean the nozzle openings of a floater oven and which is simple in construction, durable in use, efficient in operation, and otherwise well adapted to the purposes for which the same is intended.